Objective
Adaptation is a characteristic of life. Changes in gene expression allow cells and organisms to transform signals from the environment into long-lasting adaptive responses that range from learning and memory, addiction and chronic pain, to immunity and plant-microbe symbiosis. The project is based on the idea that the rules and signals governing the rich repertoire of adaptations are simple and used nearly universally. The research program consequently follows the concept that persistent adaptations take place when calcium a widely used modulator of cell functions enters the cell nucleus to activate transcription. In the nervous system, nuclear calcium controls CREB-mediated transcription following synaptic activity and is required for memory and activity-dependent survival. Dysfunction of nuclear calcium signaling may lead to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. We propose to develop methods for in vivo visualization of nuclear calcium signals in awake animals performing learning tasks and to establish, using key examples of adaptive responses, nuclear calcium a an evolutionary conserved regulator of adaptations. On the basis of common principles governing adaptive responses it becomes possible to develop general strategies to modulate adaptations irrespective of cell type or phylogenetic borders. At the heart of the proposal is the development of the proto-type of a nuclear calcium signaling enhancer. We exploit the optical properties of channelrhodopsin and aequorin to construct a light-induced signaling enhancer to boost physiological nuclear calcium responses and to restore them in disease or aging. The proposal has a focus on neuroscience and aims to provide proof-of-principle for unconventional treatments of neurodegenerations and age-related cognitive decline. In addition, the nuclear calcium concept is applied to immunology and plant biology to devise means of modulating immune responses and increasing plant growth by boosting symbiosis signaling.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry alkaline earth metals
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2008-AdG
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
69117 Heidelberg
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.